Dragon Age: Liberation
by BloodthirstyCanine
Summary: Set during the sixth blight, this story follows a group of "Liberators" as they try to regain control of Fereldan from the Darkspawn. The leader of the group is a mysterious man named Culann - a man who has the body of a human, but the soul of a god...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

**Hello everyone! So, as you can see I've decided to write a little Dragon Age fanfic set during the sixth blight. It will mostly be set in Fereldan, although if enough people ask for it, I may include Kirkwall and possibly Orlais. So, fair warning, this first chapter will be short as I just want to give you an idea of what the MC is capable of.**

The fire crackled and sent sparks up into the night sky, where they disappeared into that dark abyss. Clouds prevented the moon and stars from casting their light on the earth. The light from the fire cast itself upon the one who created it, a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties. A large zweihander was laid beside him, along with a much smaller dagger that would normally be kept at his waist.

Culann's gaze was focused on the flames, watching them dance and shoot out sparks. To him, it looked rather beautiful.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. Turning his head to stare in the direction they were coming from, he stared into the darkness of the forest. For a minute, there was nothing, but then a woman appeared out of the darkness. Her dress was torn, and cuts and bruises covered her body. She saw Culann and immediately began screaming for help while running towards him. He could tell she had been running for a while, evident by how tired she appeared, but he made no move to help her just yet. He wasn't very trusting of other people.

As she got closer, her foot caught an upturned root and she struck the ground face first into a puddle of mud. "Please…help me," she begged after lifting her face out of the muck, tears streaming down her face.

Before Culann could get a word out, several darkspawn appeared, running towards the clearing where both he and the girl were situated. They were all hurlocks, something Culann didn't complain about. Releasing a sigh, he got to his feet and turned to face the oncoming group. "A waste of my time…" Raising his hand, he pointed his index finger at them and flicked his wrist downwards. The darkspawn hit the ground at the same time, unable to get back up. "Begone with you!" Bringing his arm back, he thrust his palm forward and several balls of fire emerged. They each hit their target and immediately set them ablaze. After a couple of minutes, their bodies were nothing but ash.

"Too easy," Culann stated, and it appeared that the Maker heard him. He could feel the ground shake beneath him. The shakes were beginning to become stronger, and then a roar shook the trees, giving Culann an idea of what was coming.

Accompanied by another roar, an Ogre burst from the treeline and made a dash towards Culann, completely ignoring the woman now curled up on the ground. Raising it's fist, it sent the boulder smashing attack towards Culann in the hopes that it would crush him like so many others before. Only it didn't.

The Ogre's attack was denied by Culann, who stopped it merely with his hand. The force of the Ogre's fist meeting Culann's hand created a gust of wind that blew back Culann's straight, shoulder-length black hair, and revealed a pair of glowing silver eyes.

Shooting forward, Culann thrust his own fist into the Ogre's belly, doing little damage on the outside but fatal damage on the inside. The Ogre was sent flying into the air, before falling into the darkness of the forest and creating a loud thud as it hit the ground. With the danger over, Culann's eyes dimmed and shifted a more natural brown.

Grabbing his zweihander and tying it to his back, along with tying the dagger to his waist, Culann made his way over to the woman. He could sense the taint within her, and knew that she was going to die anyway regardless of whether or not he had helped her. The world was a cruel place to live in sometimes.

"T-t-thank you," she stuttered, her hands gripping onto his trousers as she gazed up at him, relief and joy etched on her features. Culann stared down at her, an immense feeling of guilt building up inside him as he knew what he had to do, but it was better for her this way. She would be able to join the Maker now.

Getting down on one knee, Culann wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. "It's okay, it'll all be okay," he whispered, placing the palm of his hand on her back, directly over her heart. He could feel the energy build up within his hand, slower than any other time he had called upon magic, and then he released it, sending an electric shock into her, stopping her heart immediately. For a minute he remained there, keeping her held against him before finally letting her go and getting to his feet. "I'm sorry." With that, he pulled his hood over his head and set off into the forest, the Tower of Ishal and the ruins of Ostagar now in sight…

**Author's note**

**Tada! Introduction of the MC complete…sort of…not really. More will come soon, including his companions. Actually, I may get one of my reviewers (If I get any) to make up a companion. That'd be fun, right? Anyway, hope you enjoyed that little taster and I look forward to posting the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

**Greetings peeps, how're we today? Here it is! Next chapter for Liberation. Hope you enjoy! And don't forget to review!**

Culann stared out from behind the bushes at the group of darkspawn patrolling around the entrance of the Ostagar ruins – the grass had been burned black and no trees covered the area. Behind them stood the remains of several pillars and a large staircase that could no longer be climbed.

Luckily for him, it didn't seem that they noticed him just yet. Probably because they were too far away to notice him hidden behind the bushes. Still, stealth was going to be impossible for him.. "Guess I've got no choice but to go in loud," he groaned, his hand moving to his back, where his fingers wrapped around the hilt of the zweihander. Slowly, he unsheathed it and then made his way out from the safety of the treeline.

"Oi! Darkspawn! Bring it you ugly mother-" He was cut off as he dived out of the way to avoid both a magic attack and an arrow. "Talk about rude." Sprinting towards the group in a zig-zag pattern, Culann quickly reached the first darkspawn, a Gemlock, and easily cut it in half with his blade. His next victim was the Emissary, the one that had fired a magic bolt at him earlier. Culann's hand gripped onto the Emissary's face and smashed it into the ground, before dragging it through the dirt for a couple of steps and then flinging it into three Hurlocks that were grouped together, knocking them down and allowing Culann to focus on the rest of the group. It consisted of two more Gemlocks, a Hurlock and an Alpha Hurlock.

The three charged simultaneously in the hopes that one of them would be able to harm him, but Culann wasn't someone they should underestimate. He thrust his empty palm out and sent a shockwave in their direction, knocking them off their feet and back a couple of paces onto the ground. While Culann had done that however, the other three Hurlocks had gotten to their feet. Turning his gaze to look at them, he heard shuffling and returned his gaze to the previous group, only to find that they were also on their feet. He was now surrounded by them. "Now it's getting interesting…"

One of the Gemlocks suddenly released a scream and fell forward, an arrow protruding from it's back. From the trees, close to where Culann had emerged himself, came two humans; a male and a female. The female held the bow two daggers at her hips, while the male held a one-handed sword and a shield with the Templar insignia. The woman released another arrow which buried itself into one of the Hurlocks, while the man charged up and took out the remaining Gemlock. The archer took out the two more Hurlocks, while the remaining one charged at Culann, who easily dispatched of it by drawing his dagger and stabbing it into the Hurlock's neck.

Turning around, Culann saw the swordsman fighting the Alpha Hurlock, dodging and blocking each of the Alpha's attacks but not getting a chance to return any himself. Before Culann could help, the archer was suddenly behind the Alpha and stabbed her blades into the Alpha's ribs. Withdrawing them, the Alpha growled and proceeded to fall to the ground. The archer cleaned the blood from her blades before returning them to their scabbards, while the swordsman made his way over to Culann.

"Thank the Maker we made it! Are you alright?" he asked, looking Culann up and down for any injuries. He appeared rather surprised when he couldn't find any.

"I'm fine. More importantly, why are you two out here? Last I checked, the wilds weren't very popular with your people. And neither was Ostagar, now that I think about it." Culann switched his gaze back and forth between the swordsman and the archer, who strode up to the two and planted her arm on the swordsman's shoulder, using it to lean against as she copied her partner's movements.

"Strange. You don't have the body type to be able to wield a sword like that, much less using it one-handed. I'm impressed," she stated, taking another glance up and down, although Culann suspected it wasn't to check for wounds.

"I'm full of surprises," he replied, bring his sword up and sliding it back into it's scabbard, followed by his dagger. "Now, back to my question."

The two looked at each other before nodding and turning to look at Culann. Now that he was properly looking at them, he noticed similarities in their facial structures. Siblings? It seemed the most likely scenario. They were at least related. Both had blonde hair, with the male being a shade darker than the female. He also bore a scar that ran from his bottom lip down the left side of his face and it disappeared under his chainmail. The female was the taller of the two, being slightly smaller than Culann himself, and she had green eyes compared to the male's blue.

"I'm Elemiera, but you can just call me Mira. This is my brother, Aedan. We came here looking for our father. He disappeared three days ago and the only clue we found was a map with Ostagar circled. And so, here we are. What about you handsome? What are you doing out here all by your lonesome?" She cocked her head to the side, a small smile formed on her lips as she waited on an answer. Her brother, Aedan, merely rolled his eyes but didn't speak up as, he too, was waiting on an answer.

Sighing, Culann shrugged. "I'm not sure. I came here looking for my mother, but instead I find these guys and you two. Obviously we were both led to a dead end. Nothing here but more darkspawn." Culann began rooting through the bodies, checking for any coins or anything useful they could have. Mira moved to one of the other bodies to try and help, while Aedan moved further into the ruins to check for any more darkspawn that were lurking nearby. Not that there was, or else Culann would be able to sense them. The closest darkspawn were located in the center of the ruins.

Culann's eyes strayed over in Mira's direction, where he began to take a good look at her. She was incredibly beautiful, with a nicely shaped body that had no doubt seduced many a man into buying her a drink. It was the first time Culann had ever properly interacted with another woman before, other than his mother. It felt…strange. Shaking his head, he returned to what he was doing, failing to notice the amused smile on Mira's lips.

"Guys! I think I found something!" Aedan hissed upon his return, quickly motioning them to follow him. Culann raised an eyebrow in confusion, glancing at Mira before getting to his feet and following after Aedan.

**Author's Note**

**Oooh, things are heating up now aren't they?! The first two companions have appeared! And I've decided I want more. So! Anyone who is reading this, if you have an idea for a companion for dear Culann, please! PM me and we can discuss it! Now, depending on the number of people who suggest ideas, I will only be taking a few so if I get ten, for example, I'll only be choosing between 1-4. Alright? Don't worry. If your character doesn't make it as a companion, they may still have a cameo appearance. ;) Now! Review, and get thinking people!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes**

**Popularity! It's happening! I love it! XD Now, excitement over. :L Aedan and Mira will be explained over the next few chapters, and more information on the Blight (Such as which Archdemon it is) will be revealed once the characters arrive in Redcliff. Redcliff will also be where a new companion is recruited, so I'm excited for that.**

Culann and Mira ran after Aedan, moving further into the ruins which were beginning to become harder to navigate due to the growing number of debris. After about five minutes, they arrived at a boulder riddled with strange markings.

"What are those?" Culann asked, his gaze drawn to Mira as she passed him and laid her hand on one of the marks – a circle with an upside down cross in the middle, with the longest part of the cross turned into a triangle.

"These were made by our father," she whispered as Aedan stepped closer to her, his eyes moving back and forth between her and the symbols. "Can you read them?" He asked, to which she nodded hesitantly.

"Y-yes, I think so. It will take me a few minutes though." Unsheathing one of her daggers, Mira kneeled down and began writing down her translation on the dirt.

"We don't have a few minutes," Culann responded, his hand snapping out just in time to catch an arrow that had been about to splatter Mira's brains all over the boulder. Darkspawn suddenly began appearing from behind broken pillars and large bits of debris. They were comprised of multiple Gemlocks, Hurlocks, Emissaries and at least three Ogres. It was quite likely that more were on the way.

"Mira, keep working on those translations. Aedan and I will buy you some time." Aedan opened his mouth to respond before receiving a look from Culann which made him rethink his actions. Mira simply looked from one to the other, and then to the darkspawn closing in on them, before nodding and returning to her work.

"Aedan, keep the archers off me. The Emissaries too, if possible. I'll take care of the small-fry and the Ogres."

"Yeah, about that…Probably not such a good idea. I'm not very good with a bow."

"Then throw rocks at them! Just keep them from turning me into a blasted pincushion!" Culann didn't wait for his response, instead dashing forward whilst removing his zweihander from it's scabbard. He cut down multiple enemies easily with the first swing, his blade cutting straight through their armour as if it were made of water. His return swing was less fortunate, instead throwing some off their feet and sending a couple of the stronger ones staggering back.

The ogre roared as it launched a boulder at Culann, who pushed himself off the ground and, using a Hurlock's head as a stepping stone, jumped into the air to intercept the boulder, his palm slapping against the boulder and with a surge of strength, he forced the boulder back in the direction of the ogre.

The ogre's eyes widened and it turned to run away, knocking several darkspawn away as it did so, but the boulder managed to catch both of it's legs and crushed them both.

As Culann went to land, he managed to catch the same Hurlock again as he came down, crushing it's head underneath his leather boots. His hood had fallen off at this stage, allowing his hair to be blown in every direction from his actions.

After connecting his fist with an Emissary's face, crushing it's skull from the force, Culann felt a sharp pain in his leg and then immediately after in his lower back. He released a small cry before gritting his teeth and taking out an Alpha Hurlock with a quick slash of his blade, ignoring Aedan's shout of apology. The other two Ogres descended on him, one grabbing his left arm while the other grabbed his right. Before they could continue with their plan of ripping him in half, Culann instinctively let loose a powerful mind blast, stunning most enemies in sight, and Aedan by accident. Mira barely avoided it, but the look on her face almost suggested otherwise.

Quickly taking advantage of the moment, Culann swung his large sword in a wide arc, cutting both Ogres in half at the waist and taking the heads off the Hurlocks in his range. The few Gemlocks that were close enough managed to avoid it, but they were quickly taken care off on the blade's return journey.

Releasing an irritated groan, Culann stumbled back to where Aedan stood stunned, and Mira not much different. Her eyes followed Culann before eventually moving to Aedan. She scrambled to her feet, shouting his name, and ran over to him. "Aedan! Aedan talk to me!"

"He can't. He was caught in the blast. He'll be like that for a few hours, but so will they, so we need to get moving. I hope you're done translating, because we-"

"We?! You just fried my brother's brain and you say 'we'?! And not only that, but you're an apostate! Aedan's a Templar! When he recovers, he'll-"

"He'll what? Throw a rock at me? Come on! He can't even do that! I took two arrows because of his incompetence!"

Mira glared at him with such anger that Culann, for a split second, felt a shiver run down his spine. She trudged over to him and brought her hand across his face, an action which left him as stunned as Aedan for a moment.

"You got hit because you're an arrogant bastard who thinks he can take on the entire blight by himself. While I admit you might be powerful, you are by no means capable of taking on an entire horde of darkspawn alone." Her anger had begun to subside, but it had not disappeared. "I'm taking him to Redcliff. You can come too if you wish, but only if you promise not to turn my brother's brain to mush again."

Culann remained silent as he watched her walk back to her brother and sling an arm over her shoulder before attempting to move him. Sighing, he shook his head before going over and lifting Aedan onto his back. "Alright, I'll try my best." Mira gave him a warm smile before nodding.

"Good. When Aedan recovers, I'll talk to him about your…status. I shouldn't have to do much convincing, since he's technically not a full-fledged Templar."

Culann frowned at hearing that name again. "I thought the Templars only existed in Orlais? At least, I haven't heard of any left in Fereldan since the war with the mages."

Mira shrugged and began walking, with Culann following behind her. "We came from Orlais. Obviously, we weren't born there, but while we lived over there, Aedan joined the Chantry to become a templar. Lucky for us, we came over here before they could get him hooked on lyrium."

Her expression seemed somewhat pained when she brought up Orlais, so Culann decided to change the subject. "So, why Redcliff?"

Mira glanced back at him and the pain vanished behind a grin. "That's what my dad left us. I couldn't translate everything, but I managed to get the words _Redcliff _and…Asha…Bellynerd? I'm not too positive on how to say it. I think it's some form of elven language…Hey, are you alright?"

Mira's face now showed concern as she stared at Culann, whose blood had completely drained from his face. "_Asha'bellanar._"

"That's it!...What's it mean?"

"It means…that something far more dangerous than the Blight has arrived," he stated, his gaze settling on Mira as he spoke.

**Author's Note**

**Ooooh! What do you think? Too much excitement for one day? Haha, well I hoped you enjoyed that! I'd love to hear what you thought so don't be afraid to send a review. I'll try to have the next chapter up before Friday, because that's when I'm getting my PS4! XD And once I have that…Yeah, I'll probably be gone for a while. Lol! I joke. But I will be honest in saying that the chapters will be up much slower than before from Friday onwards. Anywho, good luck for now! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**

**So, obviously I didn't get this posted on time. I do apologize, and I will say now that my time is limited between college work and playing my new PS4…On that note, I am a proper gamer. :L Still, after next week, I should have more time on my hands as I get my holidays. But for now, enjoy the latest chapter!**

"So this is Lothering? Huh, I thought it would've been more…burned to the ground with bodies lying everywhere."

Culann chuckled and shook his head. "No, it was merely abandoned. The people who rebuilt this place after the fifth blight began seeing things, and one by one, they vanished. There hasn't been a single soul here since, although the tales of what lay here appear to have traversed oceans." Glancing at Mira, he allowed a smirk to worm its way onto his features, before carrying on into the village – which appeared to be left untouched by the blight. Each building appeared brand new, and even the land around it was green with life. It was at odds with the rest of Fereldan.

"Something doesn't seem right about this place," Aedan piped up, shuffling along behind the two. It was obvious that he was still recovering, but at least he was now awake.

"You would be correct. There is something deeply wrong about this place. I believe it to be a tear in the veil between this world and the Fade. That's why the darkspawn avoid this place. It belongs to the demons and spirits now." Culann glanced towards the town's chantry, before quickly moving towards a stone bridge. "We'll stay in that inn for tonight." He pointed to a building on the other side of the bridge.

"We're staying here?! In a town you just said was home to demons?" Mira laughed and shook her head, while Aedan merely stared at the chantry.

"Don't worry. Demons aren't very fond of me…Neither is any spirit for that matter. They'll keep their distance so long as we don't do anything to provoke them," Culann replied, moving to the inn and opening the door.

"Aren't you a mage? Mages attract demons like the Old God's attract darkspawn. If anything, we'd be safer sleeping nowhere near you. Mira and I should sleep in the chantry," Aedan argued, gaining a look of irritation from Culann while Mira looked back at the chantry and then at the inn.

"I am not your typical mage, as I do not attract demons. I repel them. I'm not sure how, or why, but I do. And as for going to the chantry, that would be a bad idea. That's where the more powerful demons reside. I can sense them, which is why I chose the inn," Culann explained, before stepping into the building. "That, and it has ale…Maker please let there be ale."

The inside of the inn was as appeared more haunted than the outside. The place was in excellent condition, as if it had been cleaned that very day. Culann snapped his fingers and a fire roared to life in the fireplace, giving the place some light before the candles themselves lit up, making the place seem less…creepy. Mira clapped her hands and cheered, while Aedan shook his head and made his way over to one of the tables in the center of the room, grabbing a chair and planting himself on it.

"Having a mage does have its perks," Mira joked, gaining a smile from Culann who was now behind the counter and filling a mug with the alcoholic contents of a wooden barrel.

"If my father was here, he would've told me off for using magic like that. He always told me only to use magic when my own strength wouldn't suffice. My mother, on the other hand, had no such problems." He chuckled and took a sip from his mug, before grabbing another and filling it after a look from Mira.

"Would you tell me about them? Your parents, I mean?" Mira asked, and this question was enough to rouse Aedan from whatever dream he was having.

Culann remained silent for a moment, only talking after he handed over the mug of ale to Mira. "My father…was a Grey Warden. I don't know much about his life before I was born, only that he came from a noble house here in Fereldan. My mother was an apostate. She taught me how to use my magic, which was easier than expected when she learned that my body couldn't be invaded by demons. Nor would they seek me out in the Fade."

"I was barely into my teenage years when my father passed away. He went into the Deep Roads, as was Grey Warden tradition. My mother wasn't an emotional woman, but she wept for weeks after he left. And that…that was when _she _appeared. A woman my mother and father had been running from ever since they first met. She was my grandmother."

**Author's Note**

**Dun dun DUN! I apologize about the length, but I wanted to get this chapter out as soon as possible before I forgot about it. :L So, have you guessed who Culann is yet? What about his parents? Surely any Dragon Age fans can figure it out without too much trouble. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the brief insight into Culann's past and I look forward to seeing those lovely reviews! :D**

**P.S. My inspiration has been running low because new ideas have been forming in my idea (A curse, I assure you), mainly ideas revolving around The Originals and Supernatural. I may write a sort of…"pilot" chapter for both to see what people think, but by no means am I giving up this. I've spent too damn long thinking up ideas for this story! :L Anyway, rant..thingy over. Good luck!**


	5. Chapter 5

Mira and Aedan now sat side by side, eyes glued to Culann as he told his story. A loud bang came from outside, causing Aedan to jump before his face went bright red from embarrassment. Culann and Mira couldn't contain their laughter. Before long they were all laughing, for no particular reason. Another loud bang from outside forced the room to go deathly quiet almost immediately, and then Culann made a move towards the door. Aedan pulled his sword out and Mira drew her bow, an arrow at the ready should the need arise.

Grasping the doorknob, Culann reached back with his right hand and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the large sword. He pulled the door open quickly and a gust of wind blew into the room. Culann removed his left hand from the doorknob and quickly brought it up to protect his eyes.

Aedan dashed across the room and grabbed the door, struggling but eventually managing to close it. "What…What in the world was that?" he asked, breathing heavily as he turned and leaned against the door.

Culann lowered his hand and released a deep breath before answering. "It wasn't a natural wind, I can assure you. Something has riled the demons, made them bold. If I were you, I'd prepare myself. We're under attack."

"So much for being some…anti-demon ward…thing," Mira grumbled as she made her way over to the two.

"Maybe he's broken?" Aedan suggested, and both siblings gained a glare from Culann, who was beginning to turn a shade of red.

"I am not _broken_. And I never said demons couldn't attack me. When provoked, they'll try to kill me just as they would you." Culann then proceeded to hold both hands at shoulder level and they both began to glow.

"What are you doing?" Aedan asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"I'm enchanting your weapons to make them more effective against the demons, so shut it." Culann closed his eyes as his hands began to glow brighter, and then Aedan's sword and shield began to gain a similar glowing aura around them. Mira's bow and arrows followed, along with her daggers. Finally, he set about enchanting his own weapon.

Once he was finished, Culann opened his eyes again and watched as Aedan and Mira stared in awe at their newly enchanted weapons.

"I've never seen an enchantment like this before," Mira exclaimed, moving her bow around in order to look at it from different angles. Aedan nodded in agreement, but was too busy admiring his weapon to say anything. The finished design was slightly different to how the enchantment had began. Instead of just a simple glow, each weapon appeared to have cracks along them with a bright, white light being emitted. This gave the appearance that the material used to create each weapon was instead used as a cover for some form of holy weapon.

"Well as I've told you several times, I am no ordinary mage. Anyway, time to-" Culann was interrupted as the flames in the fireplace began to grow larger, until they began to the take the form of a person. Aedan and Mira raised their weapons, preparing to attack whatever emerged from the flames, but were stopped as Culann raised his hand.

"Don't bother. You won't be able to harm her. Think of it as something like…astral projection. She can appear here without actually bringing her physical body," Culann explained to the incredibly confused siblings. "We can't harm her, and she can't harm us."

"Is that so? Well, I can't really deny it. Lucky for you I'm only here on a social call." The new voice emerged from the flames, and then they took form.

"Hello mother," Culann greeted, smiling and holding his hand up. The person, an exotic-looking young woman with long black hair held up at the back and hazel-coloured eyes, smiled back at Culann before turning her gaze to the siblings.

"So Culann, who do we have here?" The woman's eyes caught sight of the Templar insignia on Aedan's shield, and suddenly she began to laugh. "Of course it's a templar. Now this does bring back memories. I wonder if this one is just as annoying…"

"Not that I'm unhappy to see you mother, but why are you here? Why now? I've been searching for you for months and there's been no trace of you." Culann's smiled had vanished as he stared at his mother, waiting on her answer.

The woman raised a hand to touch Culann's cheek but it merely phased through him, causing a look of sadness to spread across her face for a brief second before it was covered up by another smile. "I couldn't risk contacting you. If I did, I feared you would have been revealed to her. Unfortunately, it appears that she has found you regardless, which is why I'm here now. She is using the demons to keep you here until she can arrive herself. You and your…companions need to leave now."

Mira and Aedan glanced between the two, hundreds of questions popping into their heads, but only one managed to make its way out of Mira's mouth. "How…How is she your mother?!...I mean, she looks the same age as you!" Her sudden outburst garnered a look of irritation from the woman, and Mina suddenly noticed the resemblance between the two, albeit a small one.

"Let's just say our family doesn't take aging very well," Culann replied, moving to the door and grabbing the doorknob once more. "I'll explain everything once we get to Redcliff, alright? But for now, we have to focus on getting out of here."

"I'll create a distraction to give you an opening. I can't do much in this form though, so it will only work for a few seconds. Be sure to use them wisely." Culann nodded at his mother, before preparing to open the door only to be stopped by another question from Mira.

"Alright, well, can you at least tell us her name?"

Culann glanced back at Mira, and then at his mother who rolled her eyes and nodded. "If it will stop this incessant pestering and allow my son to survive, then I will have to oblige. For now, you may call me Morrigan. Now, begone with you! Time isn't on your side."

Mira nodded slowly and she and Aedan made their way over to Culann, who took one last look at his mother before opening the door and stepped into hell.

**Author's Note**

**So, this will be the last chapter written this year. I won't be starting the next chapter until after the New Year so to all my fans (Would fans be the correct term? It sounds weird…maybe readers? To all my readers? :L), have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year! :D**

**Now, onto some Q&A.**

**Culann's class is…complicated. He isn't a normal mage, and from this chapter you can guess that he isn't a normal human either. I'll explain more about him in Redcliff. :L As for his sword, that's easier to explain. A Zweihander is…well, basically it's a big bloody sword. Normally, it can only be wielded by two hands but thanks to Culann's incredible strength, he can wield it with one. It is slightly different from the real life version though. Think something similar to a greatsword. Or the buster sword from Final Fantasy 7. :L **

**And there you have it folks! I hope you have a happy Christmas and I look forward to posting again in 2014!**

**P.S. I'm still looking for companion ideas, so if you've got any, don't be afraid to let me know. :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Flames ravaged the village, turning the buildings to ash as it spread. Howls rose into the night from the chantry and Culann could make out vague shapes from within the once holy place. "This is worse than I thought. We need to get out of this place, and quickly."

"The highway isn't too far. If we make a break for it-" Aedan didn't get to finish as something lifted him into the air. He let out a scream as he was flung onto the other side of the river, landing close to the chantry entrance where he was knocked unconscious. He was dragged across the ground until he disappeared behind the stone wall, most likely being pulled into the chantry.

"AEDAN!" Mira screamed, making to move after him before being stopped by Culann, who wrapped his arm around her waist and began pulling her in the opposite direction. "Culann! What are you doing?! I have to go after Aedan! Culann!" She continued to struggle and even began cursing at Culann, who remained silent as he dragged her in the direction of the highway.

Once they finally reached it, Culann let her drop to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "You would have been killed had you crossed that bridge. You didn't see…No, forget it. Just stay here. I'll be back with Aedan before you know it," he assured her, before disappearing back into the inferno. Mira didn't seem to notice as she continued to sob, her hands now up covering her face.

The flames licked Culann's flesh, attempting to mark it but having no such luck. Among other things, Culann was exceptionally resistant to fire. He sidestepped out of the way of a falling wooden beam and continued on, crossing the bridge and hopping over the stone wall to land in front of the chantry. His eyes scanned the building, noting multiple demons crawling over the building which was left unharmed by the fire that was tearing through the village. _Probably some kind of barrier. It would also explain why these demons can't be seen from the outside,_ he thought and chuckled. _Talk about a welcoming committee._ The demons didn't appear to be interested in attacking him just yet, and considering how the doors were left wide open, he could only assume that it was because whatever was inside was expecting him.

"Hang on Aedan. I'm on the way," he muttered to himself, readying his weapon as he made his way into the demonic lair.

From the outside, the inside looked relatively normal but as soon as Culann passed through the door, the entire scenery changed. The walls were lined with dismembered bodies, with some of the heads even kept alive by magic. There were multiple symbols drawn across the area in what could was more than likely the victims' blood. Bones littered the floor along with what remained of those brave enough to try and cleanse this place of its evil.

Culann walked further into the grotesque scenery, being careful to avoid stepping on any bones that happened to be in the way. Once he reached the end of the hall, a groan from his left caught his attention. Turning his gaze to check it out, his eyes widened as he spotted Aedan hanging from the ceiling by his hands, which were bound in chains. But that wasn't what had shocked him most. Aedan's torso had been mostly separated from his waist, with the only thing connecting the two being strings of flesh and guts.

Then he felt a sharp pain in his head which caused a momentary blackout. When he came to, he was down on one knee with one hand on his head and the other at his side. Aedan stood before him, leaning over with a large grin on his face. Only, it wasn't truly Aedan. His teeth were more like a demon's, and his eyes were black save for his pupils, which glowed a dark red.

"**Fooled ya!**" The demon released a dark cackle before bring it's hand up to punch Culann on the chin, sending him into the air but before he could hit the roof, the demon was above him with both hands clenched together and brought them down on Culann's head, sending him crashing into the ground.

"**And here I thought all you guys were supposed to be overwhelmingly powerful!**" The demon landed neatly beside Culann, who now lay in a small crater, and brought his leg up high before bringing his heel down onto Culann's chest. Culann gasped as he felt several ribs break and a couple even managed to puncture his lungs. When he coughed, blood sprayed all over the demon who merely licked what it could from his face before laughing again. "**To think we were afraid of something as weak as you! You're just a human with a little bit more mana!**" The demon shook his head and walked a few steps away from Culann, bending down to grab something from the floor. When he returned, he was now holding Culann's zweihander, studying the now-enchanted weapon. "**I heard there was nothing more shameful than for a warrior to be killed by his own weapon. Let's find out if that theory's true, shall we?**" Another toothy grin appeared on his face as he held the point of the blade over Culann's chest. Culann could do little more than watch as he coughed up more blood. And when he felt the blade being plunged into his body, ripping through his insides and exiting through his back until it became embedded in the stone beneath him, he winced and let out a strange gurgling sound before darkness overtook him.

"_Mother, what's an Archdemon?"_

"_Hm? An Archdemon? Why do you want to know about that?"_

"_Father told me about it. He told me how you and him went up against one and managed to slay it! That was how you saved Felden!"_

"_Hahaha! Is that so? Well, for a start, it's Fereldan. And as for the Archdemons…Come, sit by the fire."_

"_Now, let me see. Long ago, there were creatures called the 'Old Gods'. They were truly magnificent creatures, although not much is known about them other than they held the form of mighty dragons. A companion once said that they were unto dragons, like kings were unto men. But they were not as perfect as people liked to believe. They were imprisoned long ago. And from their prisons, they taught us magic, but they did not teach us control. The first mages used their new gifts to enter the Fade, and tried to usurp the throne of the Maker. The Maker cast them out, and they returned as the very first of the Darkspawn. They spread their taint to Dumat, an Old God, and he became the first Archdemon. After him, four more Old God's became tainted and twisted into Archdemons, the last being Urthemiel."_

"_So is that all of the Old God's defeated?"_

"_No. There are two more Old Gods that I know of, but there are whispers and rumours that there are many more slumbering beneath the surface, waiting for the day when the darkspawn come to awaken them."_

"_But so long as they don't get tainted by darkspawn, the Old Gods won't become Archdemons, right?"_

"_That's correct, but all Old Gods call to the darkspawn, so it's only a matter of time before one rises again."_

"_Well don't worry! I'll become a strong warrior like father and slay it!"_

"_Hm, hm, of that I have no doubt. Now,speaking of your father, off you go. He will be waiting to give you your medicine. We wouldn't want you turning into an Archdemon, now would we?"_

The demon, Holgoth, smirked as he watched the male's body go still. He listened eagerly to the faint heartbeat, which was growing slower by the second.

_Thump…_

_Thump…_

…_Thump, thump…_

Holgoth's smirk slowly vanished and a frown replaced it. Was he hearing things? It sounded like the heartbeat was getting faster.

_Thump, thump…_

_Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

The male's eyes shot open, causing Holgoth to jump back, his expression fearful. The male's eyes were pure white and his teeth had begun to resemble fangs. Further studying revealed his nails had become more claw-like, his skin was beginning to resemble scales. He had also begun to growl threateningly.

Holgoth was unable to move, frozen in place by fear, as the male pulled himself up the sword until it was removed through his back. Almost immediately afterword, the wound began to close itself up. The male turned to face Holgoth and released a roar that no human could have made, before dashing forward like a wild beast intent on destruction…

Mira wiped away her tears as she forced herself onto her feet, making her way down the lane and off the highway. Just as she stepped onto the soft grass, she heard a terrifying roar from within the village. She froze on the spot, her eyes staring into the flames. Several seconds past, and nothing else stirred. Releasing her breath, she managed to relax a little but as soon as she did, she was forced to tense up again as a large, winged creature burst out of the chantry building and rose into the sky. It was impossible to make out in the dark, but she was pretty sure it was a high dragon. _How the hell did a high dragon get inside the chantry?!_

Stumbling backwards, she grasped for her bow, eventually managing to draw it. Pulling an arrow out and readying it, she took aim as the creature began it's descent towards her. Her heart felt as if it was going to stop at any moment, but she knew that running would do her no good. It was fight, or die.

Once it was close enough, she let loose her arrow and it sailed through the air. She was unable to see where it hit, but the roar from the creature let her know that she had hit….and yet it did nothing to slow the beast. It crashed down and smacked her into the air. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the stone floor of the highway rushing towards her…

**AN: ****Okay, so I thought I'd be nice and upload this now, rather than waiting until the New Year. :L****Funny enough, when I first started writing this chapter…It was intended to be a lot shorter, less violent and…well, not as good in my opinion. :L I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out. I've also went back and done some minor editing of the first chapter, but nothing that would be cause for alarm. **

**Anyhow, I'd really like to hear what you guys thought of this chapter, so be sure to review. :P Oh, and if you liked this chapter, I think you're really gonna like the next one. It's INCREDIBLY long (Compared to previous chapters), so be sure to go to the bathroom before you start reading because there are no potty breaks! **


	7. Chapter 7

Mira's eyes opened slowly as she began to regain consciousness. Slowly her memories of the night before returned, right up until she was attacked by the large winged creature. The memory caused her to sit upright, her eyes flitting around the room she had woken up in. Stone walls surrounded her, with a window a few feet in front of her bed. The floor was draped with carpets and a large map of Fereldan hung close the door. Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was in a white nightgown. A fresh set of underwear and clothes lay on a stool at the base of her bed, along with her weapons.

Throwing off the covers and getting out of the bed, she hesitantly removed the nightgown, followed by her underwear and proceeded to put on the new pair before throwing on the clothes; a simple white, sleeveless shirt and black corset, leather pants and a pair of brown, knee high boots.

Just as she began fixing her daggers to her waist, a knock on the door pulled her attention away from the task at hand. "Come in," she said after a moment's silence. The door opened and Mira's mouth dropped as shock overtook when Morrigan entered the room. She hadn't taken notice before in Lothering, having been more concerned with the dangers surrounding them, but now that was seeing her again, Mira couldn't help but think that she was either a noble, or possibly some form of royalty. She wore a dark red dress made of velvet with gold embroidery and was cut low at the front, and a golden necklace. Mira also noted a golden ring on her left ring-finger. Culann hadn't mentioned a stepfather, so it was probably more for sentimental value.

"So the princess has finally awaken from her slumber, and without the kiss of a dashing prince, no doubt," Morrigan quipped, smiling and laughing upon seeing the look of confusion on Mira's face. "'Tis from a story in another land. I see you've managed to dress yourself anyway. 'Tis strange though. You look very much like a pirate I once knew. Do you happen to hail from Rivain?"

Mira wasn't surprised that she was compared to a pirate. It wasn't the first time. "Sorry, but no. I was born in Kirkwall, and then we moved to Orlais when I was a child." In truth, her grandmother was from Rivain, but she decided not to mention it. Especially as her grandmother was also a pirate when she was Mira's age. And in those days, she had quite a few enemies. Still did.

"Well, no matter. I imagine you're quite hungry, so if you desire, there is food being served in the main hall. I think your brother has already started. Now, since you appear to be doing just fine, I have matters to attend to. I bid you a good day." Morrigan turned to leave but just as she left the room, Mira quickly called after her to ask about their location. "We're in Redcliff child," Morrigan stated, glancing back at Mira with an amused smirk before carrying on.

"Redcliff," Mira repeated in a whisper. A relieved smile found it's way to her face. Somehow, they had made it. Redcliff was one of the few places left in Fereldan that managed to hold off the blight thanks to the mages who kept a barrier up to keep the darkspawn from entering. And Aedan was alive. Culann had managed to save him. Her too, she imagined. She would need to thank him when she next saw him. For now though, she would be content with a hot meal. Now that she was here and her brother was safe, she could finally relax.

Making her way out of the room and closing the door behind her, Mira set off in the opposite direction to where Morrigan had gone. Just to be sure she was heading in the right direction, she quickly asked one of the passing servants and thanking them before carrying on.

The main hall was surprisingly quiet. Or at least, more quiet than she had imagined. Then again, she could see from the entrance doors that had been left open that the weather was nice and sunny.

Mira spotted Aedan wolfing down multiple plates of food in one of the more darker areas of the room. "Aedan!" She shouted as she ran over to him. The joy she experienced that moment quickly began to die down as she got closer. Something about him seemed different. He had dark patches under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in a while, and she was pretty sure that the meat he was eating wasn't properly cooked. In fact, the closer she got to him, the desire to flee became greater.

"Aedan?"

Aedan glanced up at her, his expression blank, before returning to his food. Mira continued to stare at him, all thoughts of conversation rapidly disappearing from her mind. In the end, she decided to go a different route.

"Do you know where Culann is?" she asked softly, watching his face for any sign that he had heard her. The sudden halt in his mouth's movements suggested he had. Swallowing whatever was still in there, Aedan turned his head to look at her. For a second, she thought he was going to take out his sword and cut her in half. The silence seemed like it lasted forever, but then he finally opened his mouth and spoke.

"He's outside." He refused to give out anything else and turned back to his meal. Mira nodded slowly before turning and quickly making her down the hall and through the entrance doors.

Once she was outside, it didn't take her long to find Culann. He was lying down in a cart filled with straw just outside the main gate, his left leg pulled back so that his knee was in the air and his hands resting behind his head. He no longer had his armour on and instead wore a white, loose-fitting tunic and breeches. His hair had also been cut much shorter, with his face now more visible than before. The fear she had felt while in the presence of her brother was draining out of her at an alarming speed as she walked over, and it was replaced by concern as she came closer to Culann and noticed that his right eye was covered by an eyepatch. Not just that, but the atmosphere around him was different than usual. It was more somber, more dark. For some reason, she desperately wanted to cheer him up.

Culann opened his eye as he heard footsteps coming in his direction. Within a few seconds, Mira came into view. At least, he thought it was Mira. She looked incredibly different from when he had seen her the night before. Her hair was no longer blonde, but a light brown and it had grown much longer, reaching down to the middle of her back. Also, now that he could finally see her in the sunlight, he noticed how tanned her skin was. Not to mention the fact that she was incredibly beautiful.

"Ahoy there matey!" she teased, smiling as she stopped at the side of the cart. "Finally managed to poke yourself in the eye with that massive sword you carry around?"

Culann rolled his eye and shook his head. Despite her attempt to conceal it, he could hear the worry in her voice. "If you must know, I got it when I was saving Aedan. I was careless and a piece of wood managed to pierce my eye," he explained, continuing on when he noticed the look of guilt on her face. "Not to worry though. It's only temporary, and I heal fast. Should be off in a couple of days." It appeared to appease her somewhat, but not completely. Well, it was better than nothing. _Better this than telling her that she was the one who took my eye_, he thought grimly, but truth be told, it was his own fault to begin with.

"Speaking of Aedan, I just saw him…What happened to him in the chantry?" Mira asked, fear heavy in her voice. Whether it was from the thought of her brother, or what she was going to hear about what happened to him, Culann couldn't tell.

He remained quiet for a moment, thinking on what he should tell her. The truth? Somehow, he doubted she would be able to handle it. A variation of the truth then. "The demon that captured him tortured his mind, planting false images in his head. To be honest, I'm not sure how bad it's affecting him, but for now, I think it would be best to just leave him be." He didn't enjoy lying to her, but right now it was for the best.

"Oh…Okay…Oh! Morrigan- ah, I mean, your mother, came to see me. She was…interesting," Mira muttered shyly, to which Culann laughed.

"Yes, she arrived here not long before we did. Turns out Arl Lucan was rather pleased about our appearance. He even lended us his healers when you…wouldn't wake up." Culann struggled to say the last bit, as he remembered the fear he felt when she failed to wake. "That's probably why your hair is that colour. If you change it, it will return to normal when you're being healed. The same goes for when you cut it."

Mira stared at him in confusion, and then she quickly grabbed a handful of hair and pulled it into view. Her eyes widened and Culann was positive she was about to scream, but instead she threw it behind her back, the shock being replaced by embarrassment. "People always compared me to my grandmother when I was younger, so I dyed it. Although now that it's back, I realize how much I'd missed it…" She trailed off as she went quiet, before sighing and then climbing into the cart and laying down beside Culann, much to his embarrassment. He wasn't used to being so close to a woman, especially one that he was attracted to. She, on the other hand, seemed more than content as she relaxed into the hay.

"So how long was I out? A few days? A week?" Mira asked, turning her head to look at him.

"About twelve hours. Give or take," Culann replied, giving her a questioning look as she stared at him in disbelief.

"Twelve hours?! Maker's breath! How the hell did you carry me and Aedan to Redcliff, from _Lothering_, in twelve hours?!"

Culann laughed and smiled. "My mother is a master shapeshifter, and she taught me, so it wasn't that hard. I became a giant eagle and lifted you two here in my talons."

Mira just lay there, dumbfounded. "That's…pretty amazing, actually." Her compliment was sincere, which caused Culann's cheeks to turn a light shade of red. She smiled and then turned her gaze to the sky, immediately pointing up to one of the clouds. "What do those clouds look like to you?" Culann looked to where she was pointing at, frowning in confusion.

"I…I don't know. Maybe-"

"They look like a massive pair of boobs to me."

Culann's cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red. And she didn't help matters with her next words.

"Which do you think are bigger? Those, or mine?" Mira had lifted the collar of her shirt slightly to give Culann a better look, but he quickly looked away which caused her to become a bit more aggressive.

"Hey! I'm asking you a question here!...Don't look away! Culann! Stop checking out that knight and answer my question!...I swear Culann, if you don't look at my breasts right now…"

"Maker save me…Mira! Stop! What are you doing?!"

Aedan swallowed down the last bit of meat on the table, releasing a satisfied growl as he did so. Snapping his fingers, he gestured for a nearby female elven servant to come over. "Yes sir? How may I be of assistance?" She asked as she hobbled over. Aedan noticed a shiver run through her body as she gazed upon him. She was afraid of him. The thought brought him immense joy, and he licked his lips at the thought of it.

"I'm going up to my room now. Bring me more food," he ordered, getting out of his chair. She looked at the plates that littered the table and then back at him, but immediately bowed and scuttled off after he narrowed his eyes. _Oh, this meal will be most delicious_. He chuckled softly and began making his way out of the main hall and towards the stairs.

It didn't take him long until he was outside of his room, getting ready to open the door. Nearby footsteps distracted him and when he looked down the hallway to glance at the archway leading into another one, Morrigan came into view. She stopped in the middle of the archway and turned her head to look at Aedan, who was now running an appreciative eye over her. A look of disgust came upon her face and she carried on, disappearing from view. Aedan merely chuckled and proceeded to open the door to his room, stepping inside and closing it behind him.

Minutes later, a knock followed by a voice asking for permission to enter roused him from an apparent day dream. "Come in." The door opened and the elven servant stepped into the room with a plate full of steaming meat. "Leave it on the desk," he told her, gesturing the small desk in the corner. She nodded nervously and as she walked over, Aedan got up from the bed and went over to the door, closing it and pulling the bolt across. The elf turned her head as she placed the plate down, fear evident in her features.

"Excuse me, b-b-ut-" She was interrupted by Aedan, who held his index finger to his lips before walking over to her.

"Don't worry. I have no interest in getting between your legs. I merely hunger for some…fresher meat," he explained, now standing less than a foot from her. She attempted to back away but the desk prevented it, and instead tried to find a weapon but she only succeeded in knocking the plate off and causing it to break on the floor.

"Tut, tut, naughty girl. You defiled my meal. I guess you'll just have to do," Aedan growled, placing his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming while simultaneously darting forward and sinking his teeth into her neck and taking a chunk of flesh into his mouth. She screamed as he continued to feast on her, but they were muffled by his hands. Aedan let out a satisfied growl as he began ripping the clothes from her body, his hunger now overwhelming.

"You know, when I was a little girl, my father would take me and Aedan with him when he came to Fereldan. The first place I came to was Orzammar. Have you ever been there?" Mira asked, to which Culann shook his head. "Oh, it was amazing. They had this competition called the Provings and if you win…Oh, the celebrations were extraordinary. Normally only dwarves can enter it, but on rare occasions others can too. I managed to win it when I was sixteen. It was such a proud day for my family."

"Well, you ARE quite a capable warrior," Culann noted. Mira smiled and leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. Must be the Hawke blood in me." She laughed and lay her head on Culann's chest.

"Hawke? You mean, as in Kirkwall? The Champion?" Culann asked, surprised at who Mira was descended from.

"Yep, the very one. Most people thought his family was in Kirkwall, but that line is from his younger brother, Carver. Hawke and Isabela only had one son, and that was my father. He met my mother in Kirkwall, who interestingly enough, was from Rivain like my grandmother. Seems the men in our family have a weakness for them." She shuffled around so that she was looking up at Culann. "The women are more interested in the Fereldans though." She winked and laughed. "What about you? You said your father was a Grey Warden?"

Culann nodded and cleared his throat. "Yeah. He was a Cousland, from Highever. His family was betrayed and killed by one of his fathers close friends, and he became a Warden to both get revenge, and because he had nothing left to lose. He met my mother the same day he became a Warden."

Mira stared up at him in confusion for a moment, before speaking. "Wait, a Cousland? I thought that family line ended?"

"Not exactly. His brother managed to escape, but his wife and child were killed during the massacre. He never remarried."

"So then…No, hang on. Your father was a Cousland AND a Grey Warden? The only Cousland Grey Warden recorded was the Hero of Fereldan, who defeated the Archdemon in the last blight. That was…nearly a hundred years ago?" Mira looked at Culann as if he was crazy, but he merely sighed and nodded.

"Look, Mira, there's something-" A scream from inside the walls interrupted him, and he and Mira exchanged confused looks before jumping out of the cart and running to the entrance gate. They noticed a large crowd was gathering around a tree to the right. Culann made his way over and pushed his way through, glancing at a few people who were doubled over and emptying their stomachs. Now he was curious.

His curiosity turned to horror as he saw what had turned everyone's stomachs. In the dim light of the evening, he saw a young, female servant hanging from a branch with a rope around her neck. He guessed it was an elf, but he couldn't be sure as most of her skin had been eaten. Her limbs were missing, as were her ears, eyes, nose, cheeks and lips. If he had to guess, he'd say her tongue was missing too. She was stripped of all her clothing, and one of her breasts appeared to have been eaten. Mira joined the rest in painting the ground with their vomit. Culann didn't blame her, or any of them. He was close to throwing up too.

Then something unexpected happened. She groaned. Culann's eye widened as he realized that she was still alive. Somehow, she was still living. Whoever had done this made sure that she was going to suffer as much as possible.

"The poor girl," Mira whimpered, tears forming in her eyes before doubling over again. Culann looked at her and then at her daggers strapped to her waist. Grabbing one of them, he threw one to cut the rope and quickly grabbed the woman as she fell. He placed a hand over the empty sockets of her eyes, already knowing that not even his magic could save her. The body was dead, but someone else's magic was forcing her soul to stay. He was going to find out who.

Closing his eye, he extracted the last few moments of the woman's life from her mind. The image hit him like an lightning bolt, and he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and disappointment. His plan had failed. Aedan was truly gone now. There was only one way to help him now, and Mira wasn't going to like it. _I'll tell her later. First, we need to do something about this woman. Then I need to go and talk to mother_.

"I'll take her," a voice told him, and Culann opened his eye and turned his head to see who was talking to him. An old elvish woman, at least in her sixties, maybe seventies, stood beside him, holding her arms out. She had a staff on her back, showing that she was a mage.

Culann nodded and handed the body over. Culann could feel that whatever spell was cast on the woman was beginning to lift. At least she wouldn't be suffering anymore.

As the woman took her, Culann noticed a profound sadness in her eyes and a sudden realization kicked in. "She was your daughter." The woman nodded solemnly, turning and walking off before anything more could be said. Culann released a sigh and shook his head, glancing down at his bloodstained hands before turning to Mira. "Go and find one of the other servants and get them to take you to my room. I have a barrier set up to stop anything from coming in that wishes to cause harm. I need to go speak with my mother, but I'll be back with you soon. Alright?" Mira nodded, but she didn't make any indication that she was going to move. "Once you get there, don't come out until I return." Again, she nodded. He stared at her for a few more seconds, before reluctantly forcing himself to leave the horrific scene.

"'Tis a shame, but nothing can be done now. She is dead, so waste no more time on the matter." Morrigan stood beside the large window that looked over the village at the base of the mountain. It had been abandoned since the blight began. The mages could only cover the castle and the area around it with the barrier, so the villagers relocated to the castle, building little huts in the area surrounding it so that they could sleep.

"Mother! She's dead because of me! Because I decided to merge Aedan with that…demon!" Culann had known how little his mother cared for others, but surely this was something even she would take interest in?

"Then you should have killed the boy and demon both. Honestly, it would've made everyone's lives so much easier had you done so." Morrigan turned away from the window and moved to a chair in the corner, taking a seat and staring at Culann who stood beside the door. "I swear, you're becoming more like your father everyday. His desire to help others out of the goodness of his heart was one of his more unattractive qualities."

"It didn't stop you coming back for him," Culann argued, to which Morrigan nodded in agreement.

"True, I did come back. But by that stage I was already in love with him, and you have yet to experience how it feels to be kept apart from someone you love." Her lips formed a smile as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Not to mention, I had no idea raising a child on my own would be so difficult. I don't know how my mother did it. Always so needy and forever crying, wailing for one thing or another. I had thought the ritual failed. But, I suppose, 'twas expected. You may have been gifted with the soul of an Old God, but you were still just a human baby."

"You know mother, I do wonder whether or not you actually care for me sometimes," Culann pondered. Morrigan laughed in response.

"If I did not care, then I would be doing what my mother is trying to do. In fact, I would have done it long ago," she replied, getting off the seat and crossing the room. She pulled Culann into a hug, which surprised him, and held him there as if she were any other mother. "I cannot express how much I miss him."

Culann looked down at her and sighed, wrapping his arms around her to comfort her, just as she was with him. "I know. I miss him too." It took him a few seconds to realize that his mother had begun to cry, something he had only seen twice before. Once, when his father left to go to the Deep Roads, and the second time was when she felt his life end.

An hour later, Culann was standing outside his own door. Night had fallen now and most people had ventured back to their homes, albeit reluctantly after today's incident. Still, at least the guard had been doubled. Aedan might be less likely to make a move when he's at risk of being discovered. Well, then again, he would've known that Culann would've found out who killed the woman. Perhaps he wants to be caught. At least Mira won't be here when he is.

He rapped his knuckles against the door and then proceeded to open it slowly. Mira was lying in his bed, curled up in a ball under the covers. Her daggers lay at the side, along with her corset, pants and boots. Culann closed the door behind him, before it hit him. There was a woman…in his bed…wearing little more than a shirt. _No, stop it! Stop thinking like that!_ He shook his head in an attempt to remove the thoughts from his mind.

Mira stirred and rolled over to look at Culann. She let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, I just couldn't stay awake," she admitted, grinning and patted the bed. "Join me?"

Culann stared at her, mouth dropping open. She giggled but then her face took on a more sad expression. "I don't think I could sleep alone tonight after…Do you mind? I can go if you want?"

"No!" Culann yelled, much to her both her surprise and his. "I-I mean, no, don't go. You can stay there. I'll, uh, I'll sleep on the floor."

Mira raised an eyebrow and then smiled, shaking her head as she threw the covers off her, revealing her slender legs. Getting to her feet, she padded over to Culann who found himself unable to move. When her fingers touched his shirt, he flinched and she giggled again. "Aren't we nervous? First time sleeping beside a girl?" she asked innocently, continuing to unbutton his shirt. When he didn't answer, both of her eyebrows arched in surprise. "Really? How have you never…?"

"It's not that I haven't, it's just that…they usually get paid and I leave," Culann admitted, his face feeling like it was on fire.

"Well, I won't argue if you give me coin, but if you leave, not even the Maker himself could keep you safe." She grinned as she tugged on his breeches, having finished opening his shirt. "And you know, you look pretty good with the patch." Culann tensed as he felt her hands running up his stomach to his chest, and then back to his breeches. She began to pull them down, stopping when they reached his knees. "I think you can continue from here." Winking at him, she turned and moved back to the bed. Her hips swayed teasingly, something he knew she was doing intentionally, and once she reached the bed, she gripped the bottom of her shirt and lifted it over her head and threw it to the floor beside the rest. In nothing more than her underwear, she hopped into the bed. "Coming?"

She did a good job at hiding it, but Culann could see the fear in her eyes. She was far from over the earlier incident…But as his mother said, she was dead so there was no point in wasting time thinking about it. _…I really am my mother's son_, he thought with a hint of amusement.

Removing the shirt, boots and breeches, Culann walked over and slid in beside her. "Let's just focus on what's happening now," she whispered, probably more for herself than him, and she leaned over to press her lips to his. Her arms wrapped themselves around his muscular frame and she pulled him on top of her, grinning as she pulled away, her eyes twinkling. "Culann?"

"Yes?"

"…Nice sword."

**AN: ****Whew! That took me a while. :L Talk about things escalating quickly. I know the story started off kinda slow, but they're starting to pick up now so…Yay! :L Sorry if I make no sense. I'm tired. I stayed up 'till 4.00am writing that. Anyway, thought I'd give you a heads up about the next chapter. It will start off outside Highever about…three? Four days after? How long would it take to reach there from Redcliff? I will also be revealing which Archdemon it is. :L**

**P.S. The new companion was introduced in that chapter. Old elven mage lady? Yep, that's her. Well done on getting that. Have a cookie! :P And no, the idea wasn't mine. She came from the mind of a reader. So, I hope you approve of her…From what you've seen during those five seconds of screen time. :L**


	8. Chapter 8

The tunnel was long and dark. Incredibly dark, which made it seem even longer. Culann and Mira were forced to hold each other's hands as they made their way through the suffocating blackness so as not to lose each other. Not that it would be difficult to find each other, but every so often, they came across other pathways that led in a completely different direction. If one of them happened to end up going down the wrong path, this mission would prove a lot more trouble than initially thought.

"Are you sure we could not have brought Aedan with us?" Mira asked once again. They had left Redcliff without Aedan, but Culann could not bring himself to tell Mira the truth. How does one tell someone that their brother has become an abomination? Instead, he had simply told her that he had spoken with Aedan about it and Aedan was unable to go as he was still recovering.

"We could have forced him, but if my mother is right and the Highever castle has become home to barbarians, then it is quite likely that he would be killed. It is better that he stayed put. Don't worry, I'm sure he will be better when we return," Culann assured her, and felt her hand tighten around his own in response. _At least, I hope so. I pray to the Maker that mother can rid him of the demon, otherwise…No! I will not think on such matters. Right now, I need to focus_.

Squinting, Culann could make out steps not too far ahead of them. That was all he could though, even with his eyesight. He could have lit the way with magic, but he didn't want to risk a mage sensing him. Until he could figure out whether or not there was anyone residing here, he couldn't risk being detected.

"Why do you call it Highever castle? Is it not named Castle Cousland?" Mira's voice was low, but with the darkness destroying his sight, he had no trouble hearing her. Still, he didn't respond until they had reached the steps.

"Careful," he muttered, slowly ascending the staircase to avoid any accidents. "This castle hasn't belonged to the Couslands in a long time, so it would make little sense to name it such." He may have been born with noble blood, but he did not consider himself one. His father had taught him how to act like a noble, but Culann suspected that was more for him than anything, to remind him of who he was and where he came from.

"It could still end up back in the hands of one though? Assuming what you've told me is true, that is." Mira had been kind enough, or perhaps simply too distracted, to bring up Culann's parentage. But now it seemed her curiosity was beginning to flare up.

"I have no interest in taking back this place. It holds no connection to me, other than it was the place my father grew up. And also where he lost everything." Culann went silent for a moment, before shaking his head. "No, I do not think I will seek to reclaim this place."

It was beginning to get brighter now, and within a few more seconds of walking, they came upon a doorway. "I do love secret entrances," he said casually, taking note of the fact that the door was ajar. _Hopefully, it's been open for while_. Pushing it open further, he winced slightly as it creaked. Stepping through, he released Mira's hand and took in his surroundings.

"The storage room. Good. It looks like we're going in the right direction. If my mother's directions were correct, then through that door should be the kitchens." Culann made his way to the second doorway, which was closed, and proceeded to open it. "Come on," he began, walking through. "We should head-" Something struck the back of his head, causing his vision to go black.

He could hear Mira shouting him and slowly the darkness began to fade. A man stepped out from behind the doorway, the hilt of his sword dripping with blood. Culann's head was pounding and his body was sluggish, refusing to move like he wanted, but he managed to turn his head enough to spot Mira. She was pinned to the floor by two men much larger than her. One of them was staring at her with a look of hunger in his eyes, but after he attempted to slide his hand down the front of her shirt, he was kicked off her by the one who hit Culann.

"Varg! Control that filthy beast of a brother! I will not have him…" The voices began to fade away, as did Culann's vision. Unable to fight it anymore, Culann's head dropped as he fell unconscious.

Morrigan stared up at the darkened sky through the large window, the light of the stars hidden behind thick clouds. Multiple thoughts ran through her head, but one in particular was what she focused on most. How does one save an abomination when entering the fade is no longer an option? Culann's companion was fused with the demon, body and soul, so it no longer resided in the fade. _Perhaps if some fragment of the boy's will remained, then it could be possible to for him to overpower the demon_, she wondered, walking across the room to sit at the vanity mirror. "What would you do if you were here?" she asked her reflection, waving her hand over the mirror which sent ripples across the surface and the image changed. Now, rather than the reflection of herself, she was staring at a dark-haired male in Grey Warden armour who looked remarkably like Culann. His hair reached down to his neck with a few strands over his forehead. Like his son, he bore brown eyes. A scar stretched down from his left temple to just above his left eye, a souvenir from his battle with the Archdemon.

A knock on the door distracted her and caused the image to vanish. "Come in," she barked, clearly irritated at being disturbed. The door opened and Aedan entered the room. He was looking worse than before. His skin was pale and his face was unshaven and covered in dirt. The whites of his eyes had become a dark grey, while his pupils had a reddish tint to them. His scar had grown more prominent, and Morrigan could see that blood was gathering around it.

"I thought I smelled something rotting," she told him, getting to her feet. "Is there something you need or are you simply here to prove that I still have a sense of smell?"

Aedan let out a dark chuckle and took a look around the room. "Nice room," he muttered before settling his gaze on Morrigan. "I thought I'd come and...see if I could be of any use. Anything important you need or would you like to do something…more fun?" He cackled as Morrigan appeared as if she were going to throw up.

"Enough of this charade, demon!" she snapped. "I have no desire to prolong this encounter any longer than is necessary."

Aedan sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, and here I thought we could become friends." Laughing, his lips parted into a smile, revealing his pointed teeth. "You should know as well I that I cannot leave. My soul and his are intertwined. We cannot be separated."

Morrigan rolled her eyes, having known this already. "Yes, yes, the only way to stop you is to kill you. But as much as I would enjoy doing so, and believe me I would, I foolishly gave my word that I would not."

"Then it appears you are out of options. Which does beg the question, how will you stop me?" Aedan asked, cocking his head to the side as he awaited an answer.

This time it was Morrigan's turn to laugh. "How, you ask? 'Tis simple. I intend to force the boy to take over. Once he does, you will no longer be a threat," she stated, a smirk on her lips at the sight of Aedan's confused expression. "Shall I make it easier for you to understand? Allow me to demonstrate." She waved her hand over the mirror once more, but rather than producing a simple image, it continued to ripple until an armoured hand shot out. Morrigan could feel her heart begin to beat faster as, slowly, the man from before crawled out.

"What…sorcery is this?!" Aedan hissed, attempting to back away but Morrigan quickly prevented his escape by waving her hand at the door, causing it to shut close behind him.

While it appeared as though she had brought the dead to life, the actual answer was far less intriguing. The man she had brought forth was not, in fact, the actual Warden she had fallen in love with, but more like a spectral copy. This was evident by the smoky tendrils emerging from his body. Still, the sight of him did bring some joy to her.

"Now, my love, go and seek vengeance on he who would seek to harm our son," Morrigan whispered to him. The Warden drew his sword and shield from his back, and without hesitation, charged at Aedan.

Culann's eye slowly began to open, and he found himself staring at the ground which was moving beneath. _No…Wait…Am I being…dragged?_ His hearing was coming into to play and he heard the scraping of skin on stone. Then feeling returned to his body, and he realized that it was his legs that were creating the sound.

His head was aching, as if it were ready to split open, but he was beginning to regain the ability to think more clearly. The roars of a crowd reached him, and before he knew it, he was flying through the air only to land on the hard and dusty floor. Groaning, he struggled to his feet. Where was Mira? Turning his head left and right, he failed to spot her but instead saw that he was in some kind of underground arena. Or was it a building? He couldn't be sure. His head was pounding too much for him to think about it.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A voice boomed across the crowd's roars, causing them all to stop immediately. Culann looked in the direction of the voice, only to spot a man that seemed all too familiar. He couldn't be sure, but he could've sworn that that was the man who had knocked him out. He was as tall as a Qunari, and as well built as them. His head was completely bald, but he had plenty of facial hair to make up for it. He wore little clothing, save for a few rags around his waist. He could easily take on an ogre by himself. _No wonder he managed to knock me out so easy_, Culann thought bitterly. Then he remembered the last few seconds before he went unconscious, where Mira was being pinned to the ground. _So these are the barbarians my mother was talking about. Looks like they picked a fight with the wrong guy_.

His hand shot forward, palm facing out, with the intention to shoot a fireball. Except what came out was…nothing. A few sparks, but that was the height of it. Then he noticed the shiny ornament wrapped tightly around his wrist. "What in Andraste's name is this?" he wondered aloud, attempting to rip it off but to no avail.

"Hahaha, it seems our challenger is a mage," the barbarian leader boomed. "I wouldn't bother with magic. That bracelet stops any who wears it from using those cowardly parlour tricks." His laughter echoed around the whole room, joined by the rest of the crowd.

"Now my friends! We have arrived towards our main event. Fighting for Burlog's clan we have the challenger! A one-eyed mage fighting for his beloved!"

"And fighting for my own clan let me introduce, the reigning champion! This monster has crushed the skulls of every challenger he has come across! Bring him in! Arishok!"

The words concerning him had confused Culann, but hearing the word _Arishok_ caught him by surprise. The sound of a door opening behind him caused Culann to turn, where he saw a male Qunari coming into the arena. The Qunari was taller than the barbarian leader, and from what Culann could make out, had four horns, two at each side of his side. The two on the right side of his head, however, had been broken off.

"Let the bloodshed, commence!"

Culann's eye widened as he caught on to what was happening, but the Qunari had done this many times before and quickly closed the distance between the two. He threw a punch at Culann who attempted to dodge, but was too slow and let out a howl as several cracking sounds emerged from his right arm. The edges of his vision began to blacken, and then he felt a powerful force striking him across the face.

He was on the ground now, going in and out of consciousness. He barely noticed the Arishok picking him up, but more pain followed as he felt his back beginning to break. The Arishok was attempting to snap him in two!

Instinctively, his body resisted but he would not be able to hold out long. His thoughts began to stray, and he began to wonder where Mira was. Was she dead? Or was she wishing she were? No doubt these fiends were using her for their own disgusting means.

His questions were soon answered, however, as he began to hear her calling his name. The darkness at the edge of his vision began to recede, and then he saw above him, trapped in a small cage beside the barbarian leader, was Mira. She was screaming his name, while beside her the leader was making a crude gesture with his thumb about what would happen to her should Culann lose.

_No…I can't…It won't end like this…Mira!_ Suddenly he felt his strength returning to him, and the sluggishness was beginning to fade. While that allowed him to feel the full brunt of the pain that was being caused to him, it also let his mind clear. Breaking the Arishok's hold on his hands and feet, Culann quickly rolled behind the Arishok until he hit the ground. Jumping to his feet, he winced as pain shot up and down his right arm which was beginning to swell from the number of breaks his bones sustained. Until he could get the anti-magic bracelet off, it appeared his arm was going to be useless.

The Arishok turned to face Culann, obviously surprised at the strength Culann had just revealed, but nevertheless got over it and came at Culann with a right hook punch. Culann ducked low to dodge it, rushing forward and burying his left fist into the Arishok's stomach and following up with a hook to his ribcage.

The Arishok grunted as he was pushed back, confusion etched onto his face. Obviously he had never been pushed back by a human through brute strength.

"Let us end this," Culann growled, as power began to bubble within him. Sparks shot from the bracelet, causing the crowd to gasp and even the leader seemed astounded. Culann's eye colour began to shift, changing between brown and a glowing silver before finally settling on the latter. The Arishok roared and charged forward just as the bracelet split and fell off, allowing Culann to use his magic to fling the Arishok back and into the wall. He grunted as he fell to one knee, panting from a mixture of surprise and having the breath knocked out of him.

Satisfied that the Arishok wasn't going to be attacking him anytime soon, Culann turned to face the barbarian leader. "Enough of these games! Release Mira right now, and I'll let you all leave this place with your lives." His threats were met with laughter, something which he expected. _One could always hope for an easy option. Oh well._

"You think that was the only weapon we had against magic? You may be powerful, but you are still just a man," the leader stated, drawing his sword from the scabbard attached to his waist and pointing it at Mira. "I would suggest you play along **boy**, before something bad happens to your lover. I would hate to have to leave her alone with Geroth. That would be a fate worse than death." He laughed and smiled as Culann's eye colour returned to their normal state. "Good boy, now why-"

The leader went silent as a large thud landed above them, causing the room to shake. The crowd began muttering but within seconds, their confusion was resolved. The ceiling cracked and came crashing down, followed by a large high dragon. With one swing of its head, the dragon turned half the room to ash as flames spewed from its mouth.

The rest of the barbarians scattered, but not before the dragon clamped its jaws around the leader, crushing his body easily between its teeth before tossing him away like a dog would a toy.

The dragon stared at Mira for a moment, before turning to face Culann, who was staring up at the creature with a look of recognition. This was not the first time he had met this particular dragon.

In a whirlwind of scale and flesh, the dragon suddenly disappeared and in its place was a woman who looked rather similar to his mother. An older version, though. Her once black hair held streaks of grey and wrinkles had begun to sprout on her forehead and corners of her eyes. The clothing she wore was rather revealing, making Culann wonder if all the women in his family dressed like that. Then again, he had only met these two, and his mother had no idea if she had any siblings, so it was possible that it was only the two of them.

"Well by all means, stand there gawking like some common child," she spoke, smiling warmly at him. "But I would much prefer a hug from my grandson." She released a rather terrifying laugh as she walked closer to him.

"Flemeth," Culann muttered, taking a step back and holding his hand up, flames sprouting from his fingertips. Flemeth stopped and frowned.

"Would you really fight an old woman? More so, your own grandmother?" She shook her head and snapped her fingers. The bracelet jumped up from the ground and once again wrapped itself around Culann's wrist, forcing the flames to vanish. Culann stared at the bracelet in surprise, but after attempting to break it and failing, decided against trying to remove it again. It may not have been created by her, but she had strengthened the magic to stop him from using his own magic against her. Had she been anyone else, he would have congratulated them.

"That's a good boy," she told him. Culann stared at her suspiciously, wondering what she intended. His suspicious gaze didn't go unnoticed by her. "Now, why must you give me such a look? I did just save you and the girl you are with." Culann remained silent, and she continued after a sigh. "You are just like your mother. Always so paranoid. If I truly wanted to harm either one of you, I would have done so by now. Morrigan may be powerful, but even she has her limits. Unlike the two of us, wouldn't you say? Ahahahaha!"

"If I remember correctly, you had your limits too. Didn't my father kill you? Twice?" Culann asked, remembering being told about the first time and bearing witness to the second.

"Child, if I desired to, I could have killed your father just as easily as I could kill you now. But he had a part to play, right up until he disappeared in the Deep Roads." She raised an eyebrow as she noticed Culann's confusion. "Oh? Didn't you know? Your father never made it to the darkspawn. But you will find out about him soon enough I imagine. I am here for a…different purpose." Raising a hand, she turned and pointed at the cage where Mira was held. The door popped open, causing a surprised squeak to emerge from the occupant.

"Now, will you be kind enough to listen to what an old woman has to say?" Flemeth asked, to which Culann reluctantly nodded. "Good." She glanced over Culann's shoulders at the Arishok and then turned her gaze back to Culann. "This Blight is not the only danger this world faces. As I'm sure you've found out by now, Razikale is no ordinary Archdemon. The taint has driven him mad, of course, but he still retains his intellect. This makes him even more dangerous. He does not wish to just take over this world, but do it alongside his fellow Old Gods. Urthemiel included."

"That's impossible. Even if he did manage to, _somehow_, release Lucasan, how does he expect to turn me back into Urthemiel?" Culann knew that, due to his father, he carried the taint but it did nothing other than give him the ability to sense darkspawn. There was no way it would turn him into an Archdemon.

"I do not know what his overall plan is, but it certainly bodes ill for us all. I do know however, that he intends to reunite with his brethren. All six of them," Flemeth warned. Culann believed it to be a trick of the mind, be he was positive that he could sense fear in her words. "Be wary Culann. I have no idea how Razikale plans to revive the other four, but you hold the soul of Urthemiel, and I suspect he knows that there is another Old God of his calibre awake in the world. He will be coming for you." She motioned behind him, and when Culann turned he was looking at the Arishok who was now standing mere feet from him. "It is time to do as your father once did, and find a group of powerful companions to assist you on the journey to defeat the Archdemon. This qunari would be a good start, and I believe the girl cowering up there has already proven her worth."

Culann released a sigh and faced Flemeth. "How do you even know any of this? _Why _do you know this?" he asked, wincing slightly as his right eye began to throb. It didn't go unnoticed by her.

"I listen to the ways of the world, and sometimes I hear things of importance. But the how and why of my knowledge is no longer relevant. Your eye…Why is it still covered? You should heal from most injuries within a day, yet you refuse to remove that thing." She raised a hand to remove it, but Culann slapped it away, glaring at her with his visible eye.

"I was injured by a weapon imbued with my own magic so it's taking a bit longer to heal. That's all there is," he told her, but she merely shook her head.

"Lie to me all you wish, but the truth will be revealed soon. If that is still on when you return to Morrigan, she will no doubt force it out of you. Like your father, you never could say no to her," she muttered and laughed. "Well, you are safe and I have told you what I needed to. Just be careful boy. If Razikale has figured out that you are human, he will know exactly where to go." She was then swallowed up by another whirlwind of flesh and scales, transforming back into her dragon form. Unleashing a terrifying roar, she spread her wings and took off through the hole in the ceiling.

Culann watched her leave while pondering what she had said. Things were about to become a lot more dangerous if what she said was true, and he had a feeling it was.

He noticed Mira jumping down to the floor, deeming it safe enough now to make an appearance. "That form," she muttered as she came closer. "I think…No, never mind. Who was that?"

"When we're back at camp, I'll tell you everything. For now though…" Culann turned to face the Arishok, who was still standing silently. "You heard everything, yes? Feel like taking on a big dragon with an even bigger army? I imagine you don't have anything else to do. Seat of the Arishok doesn't stay empty for long, and I have a feeling you've been here for quite a while."

A low growl emanated from the Arishok, but he finally sighed and shook his head. "Meravas. I do not see the point, but I will assist you. If only to repent for my failure."

"Wait, you want to bring the Qunari who tried to kill you to help fight the blight?" Mira asked in disbelief, staring at the Arishok with no intention of hiding her distrust.

"Those…barbarians have been doing these types of fights for a while. Kidnapping people and forcing them to fight. They used you as a means of keeping me from fighting them, and I can only assume that they did something similar to the…What will I call you now? Since you are no longer the Arishok."

"Call me…Karasaad," he finally said after some hesitation. Culann smiled and nodded.

"Welcome to the fight, Karasaad. Care to tell me what hold those barbarians had over you? Your weapon?" Culann's guess appeared correct, judging from Karasaad's surprised reaction. "I thought so. Qunari are given a weapon when they first enter their army, and from that day on, the weapon is their life. If they lose it, they cannot return home and will be killed on sight." His explanation was for Mira's benefit, although it seemed to impress Karasaad too.

"You know of our ways?" he asked, to which Culann nodded.

"My father was Qunoran Vehl. He brought me to Par Vollen when I was a child, during one of your festivals. Not his best idea," Culann muttered the last bit bitterly, his memories of the Qunari during the rare times they were allowed to go out of control sending shivers up his spine.

"Hang on, **you **went to the Qunari homeland? You? A mage?" Mira voiced, mild suspicion in her voice.

"We knew the Arishok then, and as I said, my father was Qunoran Vehl. That title is only ever given to Qunari that have died. If my history is correct, my father is the only exception. Not that the title did much then. They still tried to cut my tongue out and sow my mouth shut, but we got quite the apology when the festival was over." Culann let out a laugh and shook his head. "It was from them that I got my sword. I named her Kost. Peace."

"That is a lie," Karasaad growled, his fingers curling into fists. "The only living Qunoran Vehl died almost a century ago."

"Seventy-five years, to be exact. I do look rather good for my age, don't I?" Culann replied flatly, his humorous words contradicted by the serious tone of his voice. "You will get your answers, Karasaad. As will you, Mira. But after we leave this place. When we get back to camp, I will explain everything. I promise." Mira nodded hesitantly, while Karasaad merely grunted and made his way towards the exit.

**AN: I had some severe writer's block when typing this up, so apologies for the shitty quality. :L This will be my last chapter for about two weeks, as I'm currently doing exams and my time will be focused on them. So, I hope to see you soon and be sure to review. I do so love the opinions of others. :P**


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